When Salieri thinks that Oysterhood writing can wait …
Just a day of work, with brief glances at the TV screen for glimpses of my favourites and scores from RG. Federer looking good. Great to see Tsonga on court again, too. Williams, fittingly, playing the first match under the new Parisian lights. And then, the Osaka fiasco (badly handled all around – very unfortunate).
My love cooked dinner for us and made a fire tonight. Domestic bliss of the simplest kind. No loadshedding – yet – but the house is getting really cold. I am holding on to my hot water bottle as if it was the last creature stranded with me on a deserted island. And there is lots of tea (without alcohol at this stage, but that’s the next survival step in winter).
I heard a radio interview with Lara Foot today and she made me realise what Level Two means for the theatre. I am very glad that we already have tickets for the Life and Times of Michael K.
I also heard privately that a friend who was about to start a new job at another theatre tested positive for Covid-19 before he could begin. It is all very depressing.
Be kind. Wear a mask. Support local.
“Physical distancing remains one of the key strategies to curb this pandemic.”
Sunday morning was our last in Franschhoek during this short break and we woke up to crisp sunshine dispersing the mist around the beautiful valley.
To start the day, we had a leisurely walk and a delicious breakfast – exceptionally, I ordered croque monsieur and did not regret my choice; the entire dish was great, but the cheese sauce topping was phenomenal.
Then it was time for some culture: Everard Read Gallery at the magnificent Leeu Estate. There is a statue at the entrance of the gallery that made me immediately think of the last fifteen months of the pandemic, with most of us crashing to earth head-first despite our wings wide open. Blue. High heels, pretty dress and all.
Inside, a few artworks spoke to me, but I find it difficult to respond to a lot of modern art. I look at some of these artworks and their price tags and think, ‘How?’
‘Bearing Your Becoming’ by Angus Taylor was intriguing, because of the beauty of the statue, the materials it is made from (bronze and gem stones), the title, and the fact that a male artist brought it to ‘life’.
I also loved this artwork: ‘A Textbook of X-Ray Diagnosis’ by Barbara Wildenboer. I have now seen a few of her ‘books’ and find them always fascinating to engage with.
And as always, I could not resist a few tongue-in-cheek selfies.
Fallen Angels / Bearing Our Becoming / Holding My Selfie
Someone (yes, a man; yes, a complete stranger) on Twitter asked about the last selfie, ‘What’s the point?’ He obviously did not look closely or read the text in the mirror. ‘Hold your tongue,’ I say. No one asked you for your opinion, sir.
I returned home to a relaxed and happy Cat Family – they were in the care of a dear friend who even managed to give Salieri her medication twice a day (with only a little bit of feline fuss around the administration). Going away has always been difficult because of the Furry Ones, but now that they need special care, it will take some more careful planning.
A happy cat mother with one of her fur kids
The return home meant a return to simple everyday pleasures (although the French cheese I bought in Franschhoek is a taste-bud delight of note) and some household chores, but I could do my ironing while watching the first day of tennis at the French Open – Dominic Thiem :( – and do some gardening while basking in the beautiful afternoon sun.
My love and I had a simple soup for dinner and watched TV together before I returned home to Level Two Lockdown and Friends: The Reunion. The slow vaccine rollout with all its teething, or rather fanging, problems, the Health Minister’s dubious digital vibes, people’s refusal to adhere to the simplest non-pharmaceutical protection measures … and I am sitting here and bracing myself for more morale-crushing news and suffering.
The Reunion was not what I had expected. I never really watched Friends – in total, I might have watched about twenty episodes – so I do not consider myself a fan, but I was curious.
I often think of the artists associated with the Bloomsbury Group, how they defined an era. Or the Sestigers here in South Africa. How a group of friends and family members working together and believing in their vision and the possibility of change influenced generations of people who came after them. Friends was a TV show, but just as much a cultural phenomenon, the creators and actors involved also captured the zeitgeist of their era, and judging by some of the Reunion‘s testimonials from around the world, they made many people feel better about themselves and their lives, and that is quite something.
Be kind. Wear a mask. Support local.
“Physical distancing remains one of the key strategies to curb this pandemic.”
Birthdays, anniversaries and all other occasions which are loaded with memories, no matter how beautiful – or rather, because they are beautiful – are never easy when the person you used to share them with is no longer there to celebrate them with you. Time passes and mends you, you carry on, build a new life for yourself, but loss lurks in unexpected corners and the past continues to shape your life. Today would have been André’s 86th birthday. I always feel unsettled on such days. There does not seem to be a right, comfortable, way to approach them. In that sense, I was grateful to have Jo-ann from Radio KC interview me to mark this year’s occasion, to remember, to share my memories: “Celebrating the life and times of André P. Brink”.
And it was good to have lovely things planned for the day that were not connected to the past, but firmly rooted in my new reality. I was mostly lazy, but did some work and finished reading a manuscript and began another (both amazing in their own right) for Karavan Press. I spent some time in a hot tub before the rain chased me indoors. We managed to walk twice between the rain showers, soaking in the astounding views of Franschhoek in her autumn finery. Before lunch, we visited La Cotte wine and cheese shop – my love buying wine and I indulging in buying some wine labels. The prices were amazing, all much lower in comparison to the shops in Cape Town.
THREE MEN IN A TUB WITH A RUBBER DUCK & Miss Molly’s IN MY BED – who could resist? I can see the following in my near future: a late morning in bed with Miss Molly red, a late afternoon in the tub with three men and a rubber duck, and an evening with dear friends and Miss Molly pink bubbles. Something to look forward to.
Franschhoek means great wine and great food: Ōku Eatery for lunch and Chef’s Warehouse for dinner (our first visit to the restaurant, recommended by a friend who joined us for the meal). And, of course, I had Eggs Benedict for breakfast, but I might be less predictable tomorrow morning.
Franschhoek is also the FLF, dormant for another year. But the dates for next year’s festival have been confirmed (13 to 15 May). There is hope.
The fire is still burning in our weekend cottage. There is a smooth brandy to enjoy, old and new memories to hold, dreams to dream.
Be kind. Wear a mask. Support local.
“Physical distancing remains one of the key strategies to curb this pandemic.”
Away for the weekend, and this delicious soup was a gift. We heated it up for dinner. And we ate in pyjamas, all ready for an early night. There was a fire and some lovely wine and just a slow unwinding. Sometimes it is enough to do the simple everyday things in a different place to gain a different perspective on life. And the tension I felt this morning, a feeling of desperate not-coping, is receding.
Be kind. Wear a mask. Support local.
“Physical distancing remains one of the key strategies to curb this pandemic.”
In the morning, Harlan Cloete and Jo-ann Prinsloo invited me to the studios of Radio KC in Paarl to pre-record an interview about André’s life and writing for the occasion of his 86th birthday (29 May). It was wonderful to meet them and to be introduced to the amazing work they do at the community radio and to talk about books and stories with people who love both. And it all started with Harlan picking up The Fifth Mrs Brink at Bargain Books and writing to me about it. As a fan of André’s writing, he wanted to mark his birthday and to explore how André’s legacy could be remembered.
It was a pleasure to spend time with the inspiring team of Radio KC and to hear about their involvement in the community and plans for the future.
On my way back home, I decided to stop at Babylonstoren and just go for an autumn walk in their beautiful gardens. Balm for the soul.
In the evening, we gathered – yes, gathered! – at Exclusive Books Cavendish to talk about Death and the After Parties by Joanne Hichens. I had the honour of doing the interview and when I sat down in front of the live audience full of readers/writers, I felt as if I was waking up in a beautiful dream. I think we bookish people are starved for literary events: festivals, readings, launches – all those interactions that inspire us and allow us to grow and connect. We were a socially distanced but proper crowd tonight and it was lovely to see Melissa A. Volker and Cathy Park Kelly in the audience. Melissa is already published by Karavan Press and Cathy’s writing has always made me want to publish her. I hope to have the opportunity to work with her very, very soon …
Be kind. Wear a mask. Support local.
“Physical distancing remains one of the key strategies to curb this pandemic.”
We celebrated Polish Mother’s Day on Skype today. Mom said not to buy her anything, so Krystian went out and collected a bouquet of wild field flowers and I designed a special e-card for her – our beloved Miś.
The day was more stressful for a cat mother in Rosebank. After Salieri had completely refused to eat the special thyroid diet food (chicken mixed in or not), she and I returned to the vet and got her new thyroid medication. She was allowed to eat anything she wanted after the meds had been administered by the vet. I have three happy cats in the house again. We managed the evening dose without any complications. And there was a portion of lovely cooked chicken with carrot waiting for Salieri afterwards. Everyone is going to bed with a sigh of relief and a full tummy.
(I might be in need of tranqualisers after the past few weeks, but that’s another story.)
My love was here after work for a simple evening braai. The world seems an easier place to face than it had seemed only twelve hours ago.
Good night.
Be kind. Wear a mask. Support local.
“Physical distancing remains one of the key strategies to curb this pandemic.”
Ants. That’s why the alarm sensor has been misbehaving. It has to be replaced. What a nuisance. It feels like revenge for all the ant genocides I have been responsible for last summer. They were everywhere. Even in places I had no idea they could be … No wonder the sensor was going crazy with all those little ant feet running across it and building a nest inside the contraption around it. Ah ja.
Good news: another friend got her vaccine today. Yay! Facing the impending third wave will be so much easier knowing that at least a few of my friends will be less vulnerable to this horrible virus.
And a friend who is as much of a crazy cat lady as I am advised on a possible treatment for Salieri, something that her vet has prescribed for a family cat and it has worked wonders. I will investigate the possibility, because the diet thing is not really working for us, chicken mixed in or not. There has to be another way. My poor baby has to get healthy.
A day of sore cheeks again although work went well. I just feel strangely unsettled. I walk around dazed, pretending to cope.
Be kind. Wear a mask. Support local.
“Physical distancing remains one of the key strategies to curb this pandemic.”
A typical Monday, i.e. headless chicken kind of day. But most of the stuff that needed to be done, got done. I just couldn’t help wanting to return to Oudrif all day long …
I really did not mean to prophecy the volcano eruption. It was uncanny to read about it in detail today. What else could possibly go wrong? How about something – many things – going extremely well now? Most of us need a break from the relentlessness of the times, especially the third wave …
And I do have fantastic news: my love returned to work and is feeling cautiously optimistic about it. And my Mom had the first dose of her vaccine on Friday and is feeling great. No side-effects whatsoever. Also, she had some unexpected but pretty awesome financial news. I am relieved and super-happy for her.
Here, the disaster zone is being attended to. Front gate fixed, ADT technician booked, the number of a reliable contractor found. I phoned the vet to ask about Salieri’s diet. We are trying out a compromise involving some chicken (Salieri’s favourite), and I am feeding the other cats their favourite treats on the sly. Not sure how far we will get with this solution, but I will do whatever I can to keep them healthy and safe.
My love and I had the first batch of my home-grown oyster mushrooms for dinner tonight (they were absolutely delicious). If you never hear from me again, you know what happened …
Be kind. Wear a mask. Support local.
“Physical distancing remains one of the key strategies to curb this pandemic.”
Balm for the heart and the soul. Oudrif. There is no better place to recuperate. Exactly what we needed after the ordeals of this month. We arrived just after the heavy rain and had one more day of drizzles and cloudy skies, but then the sun came out and with it the first tiny greens and flowers – another stunning flower season may lie ahead.
This is the place I always want to return to. Oudrif. Its calm, its beauty, and the simplicity of it all. Between the pale rose sunrises and molten sunsets, each day unfolds with gentleness, and with every passing moment you feel more and more restored to yourself. The people, the animals, the Doring River, the surrounding hills with their ancient rock art and their stories, the communal meals and walks, the evening fires – and laziness, and sleep, and enlightening conversations with friends and strangers alike. Oudrif.
The first night, I slept for ten hours. I even slept during the afternoons. I finally managed to finish reading a novel I had been reading for much too long (not because I struggled with the book, but with the lack of time to devote to it), and had time for a poetry collection and two manuscripts. I could sit in the sun to dry my hair and soak up vitamin D and massage my favourite moisturiser into my neglected skin. I could rest.
And then there was The Puppy, whom my love named Pippi because of her cast-longstocking. Jeanine of Oudrif is involved in a pet sterilisation project in the greater Clanwilliam area. The projects focus on sterilisation of disadvantaged dogs and cats in rural areas. When possible, Jeanine also nurses neglected pets back to health and finds homes for rescues. Pippi arrived with a broken hind leg, a million ticks and protruding ribs – after only a few days at Oudrif, she has transformed into the cutest, sweetest little dog who everyone present fell in love with. The Cats have forbidden me to adopt more animals, but I was very tempted, and I hope that the lovely Pippi with her gentle nature finds a home where she will be loved. She will make someone very happy. If you are reading this and thinking of adopting a puppy, please let me know …
While I was gallivanting with Pippi, The Cats and our home were in the care of a very dear friend. Her weekend was not as peaceful as ours … Just before we left, I noticed that the roof started leaking in two places, but there wasn’t anything I could do about it. I just asked my friend to ignore the dripping as much as possible … What she could not ignore (and what I had no clue about before leaving) was that the rains locked the front gate into place and damaged an alarm sensor. Luckily, she is a Superhero Friend and managed the disaster extremely well, even when it involved mopping up rain-drenched floors, climbing over a wall, being constantly on the phone with ADT, using the garage door to enter/leave the property and not giving in to Salieri screaming at her for different food (she is not impressed with her new thyroid diet). And at the end of it all, my friend did not say anything about “never again”. I am very grateful to have friends like her!
So now, with batteries recharged, I am tackling the new week and starting with ADT and the wretched gate (that I was promised would never give me trouble again after the traumatic installment of a new special gate frame a few years ago … traumatic because the man responsible for the job, in the process, cut off my water supply and my electricity, took weeks to fix everything, and nearly drove me insane – I won’t be calling him for help!).
Be kind. Wear a mask. Support local.
“Physical distancing remains one of the key strategies to curb this pandemic.”
Rain. The sound is balm for the soul. Not sure how the roof feels about it, though.
Too much is changing and I am struggling to catch up. There are moments when I say to myself ‘I can’t; I am not coping.’ But, somehow, I manage in the end. And I found three lucky coins today. Good omens, let’s hope.
And, most importantly, my love and I have something wonderful to look forward to … I will report back on Sunday.
Be kind. Wear a mask. Support local.
“Physical distancing remains one of the key strategies to curb this pandemic.”
Karina Magdalena 